New Details on Chrono Trigger and Chrono Cross

Thanks to videogames.com, we have some information that will prove to be great (and shocking at times) news for Chrono Trigger fans.

Let's start with the first game in the series. Square's Playstation remake of the SNES hit Chrono Trigger is due in Japan November 2. Originally thought to be as much of a 'remake' as Final Fantasy IV & V (FMV opening and ending), there is much more than that. First of all, the anime cutscenes (20 minutes worth, which were made specifically for the game) will play at the opening and ending, but also at key points in the story. On top of this, the game will also include undisclosed extras, similar to the remake of Final Fantasy VI (which had such extras as a video viewer, a bestiary, etc.). Finally, the best, and most astounding information revealed, is that there will be an enhanced ending (or endings, possibly). What exactly happens is not known, just that the story of Chrono Cross is hinted at....hm.....

Speaking of the sequel, more information has been revealed on it as well. First, Chrono Cross does indeed take place in the same world as Chrono Trigger, though 20 years later. Instead of traveling through time, you travel between dimensions. There will be multiple endings and branching paths, as in the first game. The FMV is done by the same team that did the FMV in Final Fantasy VIII, which you can tell by watching them, as the cutscenes in Chrono Cross are incredible! Square handed out press materials at the Tokyo Game Show with a summary of the game's story. It reads:

Imagine emerald seas aglow in sunshine, caressing the shores of beautiful and serene islands... there you will find Serge, a young boy who's about to be unexpectedly thrown into an alternate reality - to become a hero, lost in another world. There, he will meet a mysterious girl who goes by the name of Kid. Together they'll embark on an adventure that will surpass both space and time.

The two will travel freely between dimensions and discover that both their worlds are almost identical and yet, at the same time, vastly different. Discovering a myriad of life-forms and how their actions effect others, they will make a great number of friends. And friends they will need, because before they know it, the party gets dragged into a struggle between dragons and humans over the possession of the legendary treasure known as the "Frozen Flame."

An interesting theory mentioned is that the character known as Glenn that appears in the demo (which comes packaged with Legend of Mana) may actually be the same Glenn (aka Frog) from Chrono Trigger. Is is possible as CC takes place in the same world.

So there you go. Now you know more about Chrono Cross, and have proof that the Playstation version of Chrono Trigger is worth the price of admission even if you own the SNES one. Chrono Cross has been confirmed for a US release sometime in 2000 (probably late summer or fall), and Square has stated that they are considering releasing CT here. Keep your fingers...ahem...crossed.